Liberal mainstream media

[Redalgo]

No. Media outlets have varied biases, some of which are certainly "liberal," but I reckon that the strongest biasing factor of all in what is covered is quite obviously profit-motive.

[Redalgo]

No. If there's any bias at all, it's a pro-corporate elitist bisas, as seen with the lack of coverage of issues such as socio-economic inequality and the education crisis in this country, and the "liberal" New York Times's fascination of the issue of whether or not a few wealthy, elite women could play in a golf tournament.

If they weren't liberal, they wouldn't care about this sort of symbolic gender equality.

Which could be material pitched for a targeted audience already reading the New York Times. I am under the impression that (a.) folks with high incomes are generally more liberal on normative than economic issues, and (b.) journalists themselves tend to lean more to the left and are oftentimes cut a lot of slack provided they do not run any stories that seriously undercut the company's goals. Most major media outlets in the States are businesses first and foremost.

[Redalgo]

I understand your point (and agree with it), but who would own them if not corporations?  A hippy commune?

(and there are at least 2 TV news sources, the only 2 I ever watch, that are owned by governments....so I suppose that's an option as well)

I am fine with private firms (or worker co-ops!) controlling most of the mass media provided that alternative means for information to flow are available, academic freedom is well-respected, and some portion of the media is state-run so as to prioritize social utility over profit. It would be nice for private, public, scholarly, and popular media sources to coexist - all supplementing, challenging, and policing one another to provide people a rich array of at least somewhat accountable choices.

Unfortunately, the presense of biases is virtually inevitable and something we have to cope with.

[Redalgo]

In the context of the United States I think too little of the media is public sector. I am otherwise inclined to agree with you though. My attitude considering profit-driven bias does not tie into a grander belief about a handful of rich dudes or major corporations conspiring against the public interest. The People themselves are in part to blame if their apathy lets the state abuse its power or imprudent habits of consumption lead firms to cater to folks’ less-than-laudable preferences.